Summary:I was rear-ended by an American Family insured in July of 2009. I had stopped at a yield sign to allow the car coming through the intersection to pass. The woman behind me didn't bother to look ahead and see that I had stopped. This accident ruptured a disc in my back, which has led to physical therapy, multiple procedures (including back surgery), and ultimately a permanent injury to my back.

I was offered $7,500 to settle before going to trial, when my medical bills exceeded $75,000. At trial, the attorney brought up a couple of minor incidents I've had with my back and claimed I had a pre-existing condition. I hadn't seen a doctor for back problems since I had back labor with my second child over seven years earlier (and no problems with my first child). The previous incident involved a basketball injury in high school about 20 years ago. I had worked as a server for almost five years prior to this accident, with no problems whatsoever.

In the end, I was awarded almost $19,000 by the jury, but I was also found 50% responsible for the accident. I have no idea how that happened, but it was the jury's decision. After the costs had been taken out, I was awarded almost $6,000 against the person who hit me. The American Family attorney was able to tax the costs of the defense against me, even though his insured owes me almost $6,000. I now have a $10,500 judgment against me for being hit by his insured. I was not informed about this judgment by the court or anyone else.

I recently tried to refinance my home and was told that I would not be eligible to do so because I have a judgment against me. I was completely taken aback, since I had no idea there was even a judgment out there against me. I am on an Adjustable Rate Mortgage and I need to refinance before my rate resets. I contacted Ann Fitzgibbons at American Family and tried to have this judgment removed from my credit. I was told that I need to come up with a minimum of $1,500 in the next couple of weeks, or I will have to pay the entire $10,500 judgment.

This trial took place in June of 2011. It is now April of 2013 and American Family has not yet paid me the nearly $6,000 judgment I have against their insured. Their insured also has this $6,000 judgment against her on her credit, as I have the $10,500 on mine. I tried to talk to Marcia Taylor about this, who is Ann Fitzgibbons' supervisor. She stood by the decision to demand $1,500 from me to clear the judgment from my credit.

Since I was still getting nowhere, I contacted Stephanie Carlson, who is Marcia Taylor's supervisor. She also stood by the decision to demand $1,500 from me to clear my credit and allow me to refinance my home. Again, I got nowhere. At this point, I contacted Bernie McCartan, who is Stephanie Carlson's supervisor. Bernie will not even speak to me himself. He has instructed Angela in Consumer Affairs to tell me that the only way that I will get this off my credit is by coming up with the $1,500 in the next two weeks.

I am a single parent, raising two kids by myself. These are the same two kids that were in the car with me on the day of the accident. My children and I have gone through far more trauma than ever should have come about if American Family were an ethical company. I have a permanent back injury as a direct result of their insured hitting me with her car. I will incur thousands of dollars yearly in medical expenses for the rest of my life and I'm expected to come up with $1,500 to pay for the defense of their insured, who hit me. In my opinion, there is nothing even remotely "American" or "Family"-oriented about forcing a single mom to become homeless because of this ridiculous judgment.

I've tried repeatedly to reason with these people and they don't care about my situation at all. Unfortunately, I feel like writing reviews and warning other consumers about their unethical and possibly illegal business practices (allowing their insured to have a judgment against her for almost two years) is my only option left. If you are looking for an insurance company that actually cares about consumers, you need to keep looking. This company has to be the worst company I've ever encountered.

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RatingReviewed by:CJ Pashon(Unregistered User)

Review DateApril 12, 2013

Overall Rating 1 of 5

Value Rating 1 of 5

Used product forLess than 1 month

Visitors rate this review5.00 of 5,
69.00 votes

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Review 2 of 86

Price Paid:
$0.00

Strengths:none

Weaknesses:horrible customer service

Summary:An American Family Insurance driver, took our car w/o asking us, put it in a ditch/pole. This insurance company was not only rude, but actually laughed at me on the phone when I asked for law or regulation that governed his claim that because WE had insurance, WE have to pay for the damage/make claim w/ OUR insurance! If you do your research, you will see THEIR OWN customers complaining about the horrible treatment THEY received.

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RatingReviewed by:BL(Unregistered User)

Review DateSeptember 18, 2012

Overall Rating 1 of 5

Value Rating 1 of 5

Used product forLess than 1 month

Visitors rate this review5.00 of 5,
88.00 votes

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Review 3 of 86

Price Paid:
$0.00

Strengths:None

Weaknesses:Wife was hit by the Am Fam insured. They are trying to deny the claim saying that the kid(16) stole the car from his parents or grandparents even though he had free access and passively sanctioned by them. He doesn't have a driver's license either and yet he had regularly driven the vehicle. Totalled our car, fractured my wife's pelvis, made her life miserable in so many ways beuond the pain and they are not living up to their good faith obligation, as they insinuate they are a reputable company. They are serving only the shareholders - typical democrats, act like they are helping the little guy, help themselves and say they are out to serve the community. Do not participate with this company or Progressive is my experience.

Summary:Horrible company to have to do business with and by the sounds of things (other reviews) they screw their own "family" too. If I could give negative stars, I would

Similar Products Used:Received satements from company after accident with one of their insured that they will not fulfill their obligations

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RatingReviewed by:AUSTIN(Unregistered User)

Review DateNovember 22, 2011

Overall Rating 1 of 5

Value Rating 1 of 5

Used product forMore than 1 year

Visitors rate this review4.96 of 5,
98.00 votes

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Review 4 of 86

Price Paid:
$0.00

Weaknesses:Poor coverage when hit by drunk driver. Denied claim due to their doctors and attourneys saying its pre-exsisting injuries. F----K Y---u American Family

Summary:Terrable Insurance Company. Lacking faith when making a no fault auto accident resulting in pernament back damage.

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RatingReviewed by:jamie(Unregistered User)

Review DateJune 22, 2011

Overall Rating 1 of 5

Value Rating 1 of 5

Used product forMore than 1 year

Visitors rate this review5.00 of 5,
96.00 votes

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Review 5 of 86

Price Paid:
$0.00

Summary:American Family Insurance is a terrible and shady company. They're only in it to make ungodly amounts of money and will not provide a fair and reasonable service for your premiums. They regularly screw their 'family' members. They don’t care for, or about their clients. They expect us to pay, pay, and pay. Which, we do willingly, in good faith, expecting that if some unfortunate day, if INSURANCE is needed, that all those premium payments will be there for us, that American Family will be there for us to take care of us, to INSURE us and our things.

Well guess what...if you get 'profiled' for anything even something that has no direct effect on them, they'll deem you a risk (even after 13-14 years of on-time payments and ZERO claims) and cancel your policy. First they might raise your rates but then later decide to cancel your policy.

I'm fortunate I've never been in a accident and have never needed them. I can't even imagine how that would have turned out. I've paid 10's of thousands of dollars to American Family in home, auto and recreational vehicle insurance and they canceled my policy. I got a ticket (my first in 4 or 5 years) and forgot to pay it. Through it in the glove box and totally gapped it. Then 9-12 months later I get pulled over in a mall parking lot while dropping my daughter off at the front door of a Chucky Cheese by an uptight policeman. He was all about the loading zone rules. He later informs me that my license had been suspended for an unpaid traffic violation. What?! Really? Regardless; my now 2 tickets (the gapped one in my glove box and the newest one 'driving after suspension' were paid and my license reinstated later that day.

Good to go, right? Nope! American Family, my trusted insurance company that's supposedly has got my back if something bad happens to me or my family… flushes my policy down the toilet and cancels my policy after 14 years. No call from my local agent. Nope just a form letter telling me I was dropped. Not very nice. But, I guess that's how they take care of their family.

American Family is a business selling financial protection service and has a right to make a profit. But I think American Family should be profiled as high risk and as a company to avoid if possible. They should be acknowledged in the open market for what they really are as a company that doesn't have your best interest in mind, that they forgot about the quality of the service and only care about the profits.
If you want service go somewhere else for insurance. I don't know where you should go because, like I said I've been with American for 13-14 years.

Oh, and lets recognize THAT the 'business' American Family...is made up of people, lots and lots of people, the people who work for American Family should be ashamed. Ashamed of the policies they write, the procedures they follow, for being weak and powerless to the system/process. I know in today’s tough economy everyone needs a job...but hurting other hard working families (that’s got to be hard on your karma) some jobs are like cigarettes, their just bad for you.

Take my advice...don't join the Family. In life we may not be able to choose our family but we can choose our insurance providers and American Family should be avoided, shamed and then forgotten about.